My Child: The River Spirit
by BlizzardOfPurgatory
Summary: A seventeen year old Chihiro visits the Kohaku river in search of love and passion. When her and Haku meet again, the spark is ignited instantly, but what will they do when something happens that will bind them together forever and force Chihiro to decide between the human world and the spirit world, for eternity?
1. Chapter 1

Yellow hiking boots made small indentations in the soft grass as Chihiro made her way up a steep banking. The sweet scent of tsubaki flowers hung in the air, and a few of their crimson petals had drifted onto the narrow pathway in front of her. A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, and the young woman wiped it away with her thin forearm. Determination drove her exhausted body up the embankment and the warm, spring breeze whipped up her long, brown ponytail like a sea storm. Chihiro's brow furrowed as she fought to dismiss her body's urges to stop and rest. She couldn't take a break now, she was almost there. She pushed onwards, her pink cargo shorts flapping in the unforgiving wind.

As the girl made her way to the top of the banking, she saw a cluster of maple trees, their leaves an orange and red ocean of ever flowing, harmonic movement. Her eyed glinted in the radiant sunlight, ' _i'm finally here.'_ Her short legs carried her at speed toward the trees, the wind blowing on the back of her white, flowing blouse, pushing her toward her destination. _'This is it,'_ she thought, _'i've made it to the most secluded spot on the Kohaku river.'_ The golden rays created dancing shadows on the river bank below the swaying branches of the maples. Chihiro stepped carefully and quietly through the surrounding genus, her wide eyes fixated on the glistening water in front of her. Tiny hairs on her skin stood up on end as she approached the calm water. A gentle gasp escaped from between her thin lips as a gleaming, teal dragonfly flew gracefully across her line of vision. _'The victory bug,'_ Chihiro thought, cherishing the perfection of the moment.

For so many years, only in her dreams had she heard this familiar trickle of water, felt its soothing touch on her skin, and now she was here once again. Slipping her khaki rucksack off her shoulders and placing it down on a nearby moss covered rock, Chihiro made her way toward the flowing water. She slipped her shoes off, leaving them standing on smooth pebbles. Another two steps, and the cool water was caressing her ankles. The young woman gasped at the sensation, waiting for her body to grow accustomed to the temperature before walking deeper into the clear river. The water seemed to calm as she walked in, as if to avoid sweeping her away. The small minnow darted away from under smooth rocks as she approached the centre of the river, the ripples now reaching her waist. Chihiro lay back, letting the water carry her. The delicate waves enveloped her small body, and the flow of the river stopped entirely, as if all of its natural energy gravitated toward Chihiro. Her white blouse floated on the surface of the water, becoming slightly translucent as it clung to the contours of her frame. "I knew it," her soft voice echoed around the clearing, "I knew that you'd remember me, Haku."

The wind picked up as she spoke, plucking crimson leaves from the trees and scattering them across the river bed, and into the water. Chihiro's round cheeks flushed a gentle pink as the water around her waist seemed to warm up. "I've missed you." A loving smile painted Chihiro's face, pure emotion beaming from every inch of her. The water that carried her began to flow once again, bobbing the young woman's body up and down playfully. She let out a child-like giggle, and outstretched her arms, closing her eyes, taking in the reality of the situation. "I need to tell you something," Chihiro's tone became a little more serious, the wind died down, the water calmed. "I came here for a number of reasons," she told Haku, "so please listen to my story before you react, ok?" She gulped in anticipation, as she lay emerged in the comforting embrace of the Kohaku river.

"I'm seventeen now Haku. I'm growing up, and my parents keep asking me when i'm going to go to university or get a job. I've thought about the idea of doing something with my life here, but I really don't have any passion left in my life at all. Every night I dream about the spirit world, about you. Every morning I wake up feeling empty. I told my parents that I was visiting a town close to here so I could look around universities, but really... I just wanted to come here, to see you again. I want to feel that excitement just one more time before I have to continue with my dull existence. I don't know why, but every thought I have about my future somehow ends up coming back to you. I think that maybe ... we're meant to be together. At least just once more time! So please... please Haku. I want to be with you again... I want to be spirited away. Just one more time."

The water began to cool, and Chihiro shot up with a shriek. A strong gust of wind blew in the opposite direction, urging her out of the water, out of the cluster of trees. "Huh?" the young woman's voice echoed through the clearing once more. "You want me to leave?" The water became more violent against her legs, the waves pushing her outwards. Chihiro's heart dropped to her stomach. She clenched her fists in determination. With her brow furrowed, she yelled, "well i'm not leaving!" Suddenly the water around her dropped to an icy temperature. She wailed, wading to the shallow bed of the river and propelling herself onto the pebbles. She dragged herself up, her face the picture of rage. "So first you're happy to see me!" she cried, salty tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "And now this!" Chihiro took a large pebble from beside her foot and launched it into the middle of the river. An earsplitting splash rung through the clearing, and the girl sniffled as she was sprayed with droplets of falling water. "I know what you're saying to me right now, you're just like everybody else!"

Chihiro felt a familiar rebellious fire burning in her heart. "Everyone thinks that they know what's best for me!" She picked up another stone and threw it, being drenched by another cascade of water. "My parents, my teachers my friends! All of them!" The young woman dropped to her knees and let out a pained sob. "This is what i've chosen to do, for me! Everyone tells me to go and study, see the world, get a job. None of it brings me any joy whatsoever!" She wiped tears from her face with her dripping arm, mixing the salty tears with the fresh water from the river. "For some reason, this, this brings me happiness, you bring me happiness. I'm not asking for much, just the option to make my own choice for once!" Chihiro raised her head and looked directly in front of her, her eyes brimming with passion and determination. "So don't turn me away, unless it's because _you_ don't want to see me. Don't act like you know what's best for me because I've thought about this every single day since I was a child." Chihiro grabbed her rucksack and pulled it toward her. She set it down on the pebbles and lay her head onto the soft fabric. "I'll be waiting right here." She sulked, crossing her arms over her drenched chest and shivering a little as the breeze swept over her body. The air around her began to warm up. Chihiro stuck out her bottom lip and turned her head away from the river. The calm clearing was silent and the sky changed into a brilliant watercolour of swirling pink, gold and orange tones as the sun began to set.

' _I'm not giving up.'_ Chihiro thought, _'I know what i want.'_

The sun slowly disappeared over the horizon, sending spectacular rays shining through the maple branches. The glowing light danced on Chihiro's plump cheek as she lay on her side, her heart pounding. She began to feel warmer and warmer, even though the sun was going down and the sky was ever darkening. Her tense body began to relax, muscle by muscle, as the comfortable heat surrounded her. She let the feeling wash over her. Her heart beat began to slower, and her breathing became more shallow. The warm sensation was soon followed by an acute pressure. Chihiro gasped, but in time began to realise that it felt like a pair of strong arms wrapped around her body from behind. The sensation became increasingly real, until the girl's delicate fingertips were tracing over soft skin, gentle hairs and larger hands. A steady heartbeat could be felt on her back, as a chest was pressed up against her. Two legs were tangled with her own. Chihiro melted into the embrace, letting her every worry wash away with the flowing river beside her.

"You're right," a deep voice whispered into her ear. The sensation of his hot breath on her neck caused her to shudder. "I didn't realise that our connection would be this strong within you so soon, I had expected you to be older, and to have experienced much more before wanting to see me again." The vibrations from his voice sent shivers throughout her entire body. "But if this is what you truly want, Chihiro, then we can be together, one last time."

Chihiro turned her head around and locked eyes with Haku. An intense feeling rushed through her chest, pummelling her insides. A huge smile spread across both of their faces as they set eyes on each other. The wind picked up every coloured leaf, every flower petal, and swirled them around the two like a tornado. Chihiro flung herself across Haku, laying on top of him. Her delicate arms propped her up at either side of his head, and he stared at the girl in awe.

"I've wanted to do this since I was a little girl," she smiled. Slowly she lowered her head towards him, their faces were only inches apart. Their lips collided in a passionate embrace. Water from the river continued to flow peacefully, colourful leaves settled down on the ground, and the two were lit up by a beautiful, white moonlight. Their lips were intertwined, their legs tangled. Haku's hands explored Chihiro's back and stroked her wet hair. In this moment, there was nothing else in the world but the two of them. Chihiro broke the kiss and the two grinned sweetly at each other. Their eyes glinted in the moonlight as they embraced once more, before turning over and letting their eyes wander across the brights stars that could be seen through the gaps in-between the trees. Their hands were locked together. "Tomorrow," Haku said, his voice flowed out, smooth and soft. "Tomorrow, we will have the best day of our lives."


	2. Chapter 2

As the morning sunlight filtered through the trees, and the scent of dew evaporating from the delicate blades of grass hung in the air, Haku's eyes slowly opened. He could feel the warmth of Chihiro by his side, strands from her slightly knotted ponytail tickled the soft skin on his face. She looked peaceful as she slept, her mouth hanging slightly open and gentle, purring breaths floating out from it. _'How selfish I am,'_ Haku thought to himself, _'to bring her into the spirit world again.'_ Although it was what the girl wanted with all of her heart, Haku knew that it was not what was best for her. A young girl so full of life should be in her own world, enjoying every pleasure that a human life has to offer. The spirit sighed, his dark hair fell across his face. _'She can't waste her life waiting by the Kohaku river.'_ He watched Chihiro as she slept. She looked much older than the last time he had seen her, but somehow she still seemed exactly the same. Her body was still tiny, her cheeks were still round and pink, and she still had the overwhelming resilience of a raging thunderstorm. Haku admired the girl for a while longer, until she began to stir.

"H-haku..." Chihiro mumbled as her eyelids fluttered open. Her deep brown eyes glistened in the sunlight as her gaze met with the smiling face of the man that she had counted endless stars with the night before. "I wasn't dreaming, was I Haku," the young woman felt an indescribable feeling rushing through her heart. She let her lips curve into a perfect smile. "You're real." Chihiro reached out and rested her hand on the side of the spirit's face, tracing along the soft, pink skin on his lips with her thumb. Her eyes alerted her to movement behind him, she gasped propelling herself up onto her knees. To her relief, it was only the graceful drifting of Mandarin ducks on the rivers surface. Their sleek colourful feathers were dotted with shimmering droplets of water. "It's just... ducks"

"No," Haku replied, taking Chihiro's hand into his own. The blood in her face rushed to the surface of her skin, painting her a glowing peachy colour. "Look Chihiro, they're spirits." The girl's eyes filled with wonder as she jumped to her feet, dragging Haku up with her. She darted over to the riverside to get a closer look at the ducks, which began to look more like spirits with every step she took.

"Woah, look at their eyes!" Chihiro chirped excitedly as she noticed the duck's eyes changing colour from an emerald green to a cherry red. "They really are spirits!"

"Excuse me!" An angry voice pierced the peaceful clearing. Chihiro flinched when she realised it was coming from one of the spirits on the water. The duck spirit looked her straight in the eyes with a menacing glare. "What exactly are you staring at, huh?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, I..." the girl gasped, only to be interrupted by the grumpy spirit, who had now turned to look directly at Haku.

"Why have you brought this thing here, Haku?" It grumbled, obviously displeased with Chihiro's presence in his usually tranquil relaxing spot. "You're supposed to be a nanase haruka not a tour guide!"

"That's enough," the river spirit's voice was calm, but firm. "Chihiro is a good friend of mine and you shouldn't talk about her that way." The duck spirit rolled its eyes, its friends now swimming up behind it for moral support.

"Whatever, who cares," the duck replied, his voice shrill with agitation. "Just take her away form here so I can go back to meditating please Haku." The other duck spirits nodded in unison, and Haku turned to Chihiro, who looked mortified by the situation.

The river spirit turned to Chihiro, his green eyes glistening with anticipation. "I've made plans for us anyway." Haku began to run in the opposite direction, making his way out of the clearing.

"Hey!" Chihiro cried, "wait for me!" She darted through the Maple trees, the grass below her swayed, creating a gentle white noise as each strand brushed up against the others. The young woman slowed as she got to the edge of the trees, throwing her hand up to her mouth to suppress the gasp that unwillingly left her body when she saw Haku standing in the middle of the grassy field. Before her was a long, sleek dragon. His bright, white fur blew in the gentle breeze. Long, whisker like tendrils swayed in front of his sparkling eyes. "Haku!" Chihiro's voice was bubbling with excitement. She ran up to the huge dragon in front of her and took his face into her arms, rubbing her face into his soft fur, planting tiny kisses on it. The dragon lowered himself, and the young woman hesitated for a moment before pulling herself up onto his back, grasping at his flowing, teal mane for support. With a launching jump, Haku set off into the lightly clouded sky.

Chihiro giggled with joy as she was taken on a glorious tour of the area surrounding the Kohaku river. She could feel the wind loosening her hair band, and it fell from her head. Her long, brown hair was tousled by the crisp morning air as the two of them zipped through the sky. "This is amazing!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Chihiro let her hands unweave from Haku's mane, and she rose them into the air, feeling the sensation of the wind on her fingertips. Her eyes began to well up with tiny beads of salted tears, and she bit her lip, trying not to let the river spirit know. Below her, the winding river flowed gently. Miles and miles of beautiful fields stretched out before them. Chihiro gazed in awe at her surroundings, and she couldn't help but feel at home. _'This is it,'_ she thought to herself, wiping a trickling tear from off her pink cheek. _'It's been so long,'_ she leant down, nuzzling herself into Haku's white fur, feeling his warmth against her body. _'This is what true happiness feels like.'_

The two of them spent the day playing in the cool, calming water of the river. They ran through the long grass of the fields, making flower crowns for each other with colourful petals from every plant they could see. Whenever Chihiro could catch Haku off guard, she surprised him with a gentle, loving kiss. The girl wasn't at all disappointed that they couldn't stray too far from the river, understanding that as it's guardian, Haku had a great responsibility. The blissful hours rolled by, and the two let their hearts be overtaken by the overwhelming happiness that glowed inside them when they were by each other's side. After flying, dancing and laughing the day away, the two young lovers lay on a grassy banking watching the sunset.

Golden rays lit up their faces as they lay there, hand behind their heads. "I love you," the words passed effortlessly from between the young woman's lips, as if those lips had been specifically designed to utter them. The boy smiled as a nervous, pink glow painted his face.

"I love you." The two never let their gaze be averted from the dazzling colours of the sunset sky as they spoke.

"I don't know how I can just leave after today," Chihiro sighed, taking a hand from behind her head and laying it out by her side.

"You have your whole life ahead of you, Chihiro." Haku freed his own hand, letting it fall by his side and brushing the pad of his thumb against Chihiro's palm. She furrowed her brow.

"I want to spend the rest of my life here, with you," Chihiro's voice never faltered, her words had roots buried deep within her soul. "I know it."

"You're so young Chihiro, a girl like you shouldn't spend her life on the banks of the Kohaku river..."

"A girl like me?" Chihiro interrupted. "What am I like, Haku? Tell me." The river spirit inhaled deeply.

"You're beautiful, Chihiro." His words were pure, and they came from the deepest part of his being. Chihiro frowned,

"What does the way I look have to do with anything..."

"No," Haku interrupted her mid-sentence. "I don't care about that." Haku turned onto his side to face the girl, strands of his soft, black hair fell in front of his smiling face. "You're so full of life. You are kind, and funny, and truthful to yourself and to everyone around you." Chihiro's eyes widened as he spoke. "Whenever you're around, the whole world lights up, and everything around you becomes beautiful too."

"But I..."

"We are from two different worlds Chihiro, and I can't take that light away from the human world for selfish reasons." Desperation clouded the air as Haku tightened his grip on the girl's delicate hand. "You have a family, and so much to experience. You need to spread your light throughout the entire world, Chihiro."

"But - but you've got it all wrong!" Chihiro turned to face Haku. Their eyes were locked in a magnetic embrace. "The only reason I'm happy and full of life is because i'm around you!" She matched Haku's tightened grip. "When i'm back in my own world, i'm just empty. I'm none of those things that you said! I light up when i'm by your side because I love you. I've known it for as long as I can remember, even without seeing you for all these years, I still know." Chihiro leapt over to Haku, her lips colliding with his own. Their soft lips parted and their tongues danced together. She spoke quietly between breaths. "I know that I can't just leave my parents behind." Their hands tangled in each other's hair. "I know that this world is not mine," Haku rolled over, his body bearing over Chihiro's small frame. "I will leave, but someday..." their lips met again. "Someday I will find a way for us to be together forever."

The lovers were intertwined in a passionate embrace. Their breath was hot and heavy, and their innocent hands explored the contours of each other. "As long as you can live your human life for a while," Haku broke the kiss to speak. "And you can tell me with certainty and experience that this is what you want, then I'll be happy." Chihiro smiled sweetly at the man she loved.

"I'll never change my mind" she told him, "but I can be patient."

"That's good," the spirit smiled back at her "I just want you to be happy."

Chihiro blushed, and she looked down at the ground shyly. "What is it?" Haku asked her, growing slightly concerned.

"There's something I want to do..." the young woman bit her lip. Her flowing brown hair fell by her sides as she sat up. Haku pulled himself up also.

"Anything," he told her.

"Before I go I... I want to..." her face flushed a deep crimson as she rubbed the back of her neck. She could feel tiny lumps begin to form on the surface of her skin as every hair on her body stood up on end.

"What is it, Chihiro" Haku took her hand in his and noticed that she was lightly shaking. Chihiro could hear her pulse rushing past her ears, and she began to feel warm.

"I, umm..." she struggled to form the words that she so desperately wanted to speak.

"Just tell me," Haku's voice was calming. He placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. "I promise, we can do anything that you want." Chihiro could feel the words bubbling up within her, fizzing like a shaken soda, threatening to explode from her.

"I want to do what lovers do!" She blurted it out, surprising herself with her own abruptness. Haku stared at her, a little confused.

"Umm..." he tilted his head to the side. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I'll..." Chihiro gulped, "I'll show you." Her voice dripped with passion, and she took Haku's face into her hands as she shifted her body onto his.

The sun set over the banking, and sparkling stars dotted the sky like gemstones on fabric. The wind whistled through the nearby trees and it carried the scent of nature's sweetest flowers with it. Rainbow coloured dragonflies courted each other in the night sky, and the distant sound of bustling spirits rang through the air. That night, on the usually quiet banking, sparks flew.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning brightness woke Chihiro from her deep slumber. She could still feel the soft grass beneath her as she stirred. As she turned to her side to see that Haku was no longer by her side, a bittersweet feeling washed over her. The two had agreed the night before that in the morning, Chihiro would wake up back in the human world. "Back to normality, I guess." The young woman lifted herself into a seated position, letting the warm rays of the sun filter over her pale body, taking in their radiance. She noticed that her rucksack was lying next to her, and smiled at Haku's thoughtfulness, knowing that he must have retrieved it for her and left it there. As she looked at the sky above her, she noticed that something seemed strange. Chihiro couldn't quite figure out what it was, but the human world didn't feel quite the same as it had before. She didn't feel the same either, something felt off; however it wasn't necessarily an unpleasant feeling. The girl ruffled her soft hair as she let out a yawn, realising that she had lost her hair band whilst with Haku earlier. She would have to endure the walk back into the city with her hair blowing into her face.

Slim legs lifted the girl onto her dainty feet, and the gentle breeze whipped past her. She took one last look at the beautiful meadow before setting off, homeward bound. She started back down the flowered path that had led her to the quietest part of the Kohaku river. The feeling of anguish stung her soul like an angry wasp as she thought about how she was walking away from Haku this time, rather than toward him. 'I'll come back again,' she told herself, grasping at the straps of her rucksack tightly. Maple leaves blanketed the ground with a beautiful maroon carpet as Chihiro plodded along, a frown painted onto her face. "This sucks," she said out loud, stopping to lean against a tree trunk. Her bottom lip quivered, and she tried to hold back bitter tears. The thoughts of the night before flooded her mind. The happiness, the wonder, the perfection of it all. The beautiful time that the two of them had together under the stars. The sensation of Haku's hand in hers, his body pressed against her, his lips on her own. 'How can I just walk away?' the girl thought, 'how can I just live a normal life?' The tears were welling up, getting stronger and stronger, threatening to burst through her eyelids. 'How can I ever be happy?' There was no use in fighting it any more, Chihiro slumped to the ground with a symphony of loud sobs. Her arms wrapped around her knees, and she pulled them up to her chest. Burying her head into her body, she desperately tried to muffle the sound of the pained cries that left her body. Wet patches dotted her clothing where the tears fell.

"Keep it down, will ya!" A bellowing call echoed out from above Chihiro's head. She spluttered, swinging her head to look above her, and it the branches of the maple sat a large owl. Chihiro rubbed her eyes, staring at the bird in disbelief. "Some of us are nocturnal y'know!" The owl swooped down and landed at Chihiro's feet, she flinched as the owl cocked its head to the side and took a step closer to her.

"You're... you're a spirit" the young woman widened her eyes in amazement.

"Well I can tell by your smell that you're a human," the dazzling bird opened its wings, displaying an array of shimmering, colourful feathers. "And a loud one too, may I add."

"But Haku sent me back to..."

"Oh that guy!" The spirit interrupted, rolling its eyes. "I should've known you had something to do with him, he's always causing some kind of disturbance." Chihiro could feel a fire burning in her heart, her clenched palms began to sweat. 'I'm still in the spirit world,' she jumped to her feet, startling the owl who stumbled backwards. 'Haku didn't send me back.' Without warning the girl began to run back up the pathway. She didn't turn to watch as the owl rotated its head to hurl more abuse at her.

Small hiking boots pounded the ground. Strong gusts of wind swept Chihiro's hair up into the air as her legs carried her as fast as humanly possible toward the quiet clearing. The questions she had pummelled her mind like rapids, swirling round and round, unable to be answered. 'Why didn't he send me back?' She turned a corner so sharply that she almost lost balance. 'Did he do something wrong?' She spotted the cluster of trees in the distance. 'Did I do something wrong?' as she narrowed in on a space between the trees, her speed increased even more. "Haku!" she yelled, startling some birds in a nearby tree, who in turn flocked into the sky in a panic. "Haku!" She ran toward the river, slowing down as she noticed him laying on his back in the calm water, simply floating there. "Ha...ku?" His eyes met with hers and he gasped, scrambling in the gentle ripples of the water, creating a huge splash.

"Chihiro!" his voice was coated with disbelief. "What... what are you doing here?" Chihiro was shocked, confused, her today tensed and she was frozen in one spot.

"I don't..." she began, "I don't know, do you not know?" Haku stood up, his lower half submerged in the water. Their gazes never left each other, even for a moment.

"I sent you back to the human world, Chihiro"

"Obviously not." The two were almost lost for words.

"How could it not have worked... I don't understand." Haku looked at his hands, studying them carefully, trying to assess whether this was all a dream. Chihiro let the worried expression melt away from her face. Neither of them knew what had happened, or what to do next, but Chihiro spoke the truth in their hearts.

"I'm not sad... I'm not sad that it didn't work."

Haku inhaled sharply, watching as Chihiro slowly walked over to the edge of the river. She made her way forward, letting the water envelop her frame as she waded deeper and deeper. The two lovers stood face to face, gazing into each other's eyes. Their heart beats became faster. Their breathing deepened. Within a single moment, their arms were around each other once again, caressing every contour of each other. Their lips were pressed firmly together in a mutual smile, slowly advancing to a passionate kiss. "I love you, Haku" Chihiro breathed between kisses.

"I love you t..." Suddenly Haku screamed. He pushed himself backwards, landing in the cool water. His emerald eyes were wild and his mouth was agape.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Chihiro reached down to Haku, but he batted her hand away swiftly.

"Wait..." Chihiro froze, baffled by what had just happened. Haku brought himself back onto his feet. He raised one large hand and placed it on Chihiro's chest. He could feel her heart pounding, her body shaking, and then... something else. He snatched his hand away quickly, taking a step backwards. Chihiro could feel his stare burning into her. He was speechless.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, trying again to reach out to him. He stepped back again.

"What have I done?" he said, his head hung down and he watched the ripples of the moving water below him as he tried to process his own emotions.

"Tell me Haku!" Chihiro was too quick for him this time, and she grasped his hand. "Whatever is going on, tell me, right now." Her words were stern, and her grasp was firm. Haku lifted his head to look at the young woman before him.

"I'm sorry..." he began, but the words were stuck within him.

"You're sorry for what?" Chihiro tried to coax Haku into an answer with her soft tone. Her loving thumb stroked the side of his hand.

"You have a... a"

"Cut it out Haku!" Chihiro was as hot-blooded as ever, "quit messing around!"

"You have a spirit inside you!"

Chihiro furrowed her brow, releasing her grasp on Haku's hand. "A spirit?" His response had only created more questions than it had answered.

"I'll explain, but please, just give me a minute to think." Haku waded past Chihiro and set himself on a large rock by the river bed.

As Chihiro stood motionless in the cool water, her mind raced and raged with waves of confusion and uncertainty. It didn't take long for the truth to dawn on her. Large brown eyes began to well up with salty tears as she places both hands on her stomach, stroking it gently. "I have a spirit inside me," she breathed. Haku lifted his head to look at Chihiro, surprised to see a smile beginning to form at the corners of her lips. "A child," she faced Haku, "it's a child, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I see," the girl let the silent tears drench her face, and she looked down at her body, where she knew a child was dwelling. "I'm going to be a mother." Haku eyed her suspiciously, waiting for the moment when the realisation kicked in and Chihiro would be in hysterics, but no matter how long he waited, it never came. Instead she looked almost... happy.

"You're not upset?" Haku asked her, his own expression morphing into a joyous one.

"Are you sure that I'm pregnant?" she asked him, "how do you know?"

"I can sense it," he replied, "I can feel the presence within you and, it feels like us." Chihiro's tears hastened, and gentle sobs escaped her lips.

"This is amazing, i'm... i'm so happy." Haku leapt from the rock and ran to the mother of his child, taking her into his arms in a loving embrace.

"I'm so glad," he whispered in her ear. Haku placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her deeply. The connection between the two felt stronger than ever, and with the prospect of a baby on the way, it was guaranteed to be eternal.

When the sun set, the two lovers lay side by side by a large blossom tree further down the Kohaku river. Delicate, pink petals danced through the night time breeze and the crescent moon illuminated their faces with a soft glow. Chihiro and Haku were deep in conversation about the situation that they found themselves in. "I already told you Haku," Chihiro sighed, "I'm not too young for this, you don't need to feel guilty at all."

"I'm really happy," he told her, "I had just expected that you would want to experience a lot more in your life before anything like this would happen." The young woman smiled at Haku's consideration, and slapped his arm playfully.

"This is going to be an adventure, one that lasts forever" she told him. The boy smiled, puffing a strand of his long black hair out of his face. This may as well have been a dream for him, it was perfect. However, no matter how happy he was, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt.

"Chihiro," his tone became more serious and low. "Your parents, will they not worry? You won't be able to return to the human world whilst you carry our child."

"Don't be silly!" she scoffed, "you can just bring them here to the spirit world right? Then we can tell them ourselves." Haku bit his lip, furrowing his brow.

"Umm... actually Chihiro, I don't think I can do that."

"What?" Chihiro gasped, launching herself upwards into a seated position. "Why not!? You did it with my, surely you can do it with..."

"It doesn't work that way!" Haku interrupted. "Listen, just let me explain." Chihiro stuck out her bottom lip and and crossed her arms, but she stayed silent. "I'm sure you've noticed by now, but we share a connection. The day that you first stepped into that abandoned theme park as a child, I could sense you. I can always sense you, and for some reason, you're the only being that I can bring from your own world to mine. I've learned a lot about this connection since I last saw you, but sadly, it will only work with you alone. I cannot bring your parents, or anyone else here."

"That doesn't really make sense..." Chihiro gulped, realising that as clueless as Haku seemed, he was telling the truth.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. The girl stroked the side of his face with her soft hand.

"It's ok," she told him lovingly, her voice was gentle and calming. "We'll figure something out."

"There is one place that we could go for answers," Haku told Chihiro, sitting up at meet her gaze, "it's a long shot, but... well, do you remember Zaniba?"

"Granny!?" Chihiro yelled, "Of course I remember her!"

"She is wise, she has helped me a lot since you've been in the human world," Haku admitted, "I think that if there's anybody that could shed some light on what we should do next, it would be her." Chihiro grinned widely, excitement shook her to her core.

"That's great!" she cried, "let's go tomorrow ok Haku?" The young man smiled as the girl's excitement, and waves of love washed over his heart.

"Ok, Chihiro. We'll go tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

Chihiro had awoken earlier than Haku that morning. A faint pink glow from the sunrise tinted her pale skin as she leant against the trunk of a tree at the edge of the clearing. Her teeth held her quivering bottom lip in place as she fought back sobs, tears rolling down her flushed face. Her pregnancy was beginning to sink in, much deeper than the day before. _'I can't let him see me like this,'_ she told herself, wiping away bitter tears with her tiny hands. _'He'll only feel guilty.'_ She was happy after all. All that Chihiro had ever wanted was to spend her life with the one she loves, with him. No matter how many happy thoughts filled her head, she couldn't stop the waterfall of tears. The situation was far from ideal, and overall, she was just a young girl, and she was scared. _'How do I get home to my parents?'_ she thought. _'How can I deal with giving birth without my mother by my side, and what if Haku doesn't want this family as much as I do?'_ She sobbed into her hands, muffling any noises she made so she didn't wake her lover. The girl sobbed and sobbed until the sun had risen fully, and then she wiped her tears, stiffened her expression, and returned to Haku's side.

"Good morning," he yawned, arms outstretched to the morning sky.

"Morning," Chihiro stroked his soft black hair with the palm of her hand and smiled at him. The two shared a kiss, and Haku said:

"I think it's time to set off and see Zaniba."

Through paths shaded by ivy leaves and meadows dotted with daisies, the two shot through the air. Chihiro gripped Haku's mane tighter than ever, she had more than one life to protect now. On a small island surrounded by calm water, the long, white dragon landed with a thump on the soft ground. The girl let herself slide off him gracefully. Haku transformed back into his humanoid form and took Chihiro's hand. He noticed it was shaking. "I know that you're worried Chihiro," he smiled at her lovingly, "but I promise that I'll do anything to make this easier for you, I'll always be by your side." Chihiro grinned, feeling a sense of comfort at the river spirit's words. The two reached a small, wooden house in the centre of the island. Haku knocked on the door eagerly.

The moments seemed like hours as Chihiro anxiously waited for the wooden door before her to open. She grasped Haku's sleeve as she heard plodding footsteps approaching the door. "Just a second, just a second, i'm coming...!" The two heard the flustered voice behind the door, and the sound of a key fumbling in the lock. "Hello," a short, large headed, elderly woman stood in the open doorway, mouth agape as she saw the two together.

"Hello, Zaniba," Haku spoke politely, bowing his head to the old woman. Her huge mouth twisted up into a dazzling smile.

"Haku!" she shouted, "and ...Chihiro! What are you doing here!?" she flung her arms around the two of them and squeezed them as hard as she thought they could handle. "It's so good to see you!" Chihiro gasped and sunk down to escape the tightness of the hug, both Haku and Zaniba glared at her in shock as she grasped her stomach.

"Granny!" she cried, "I'm so happy to see you but please, not so tight!"

"I'm sorry, dear!" Zaniba apologised, reaching out to grasp Chihiro's shoulder again. "I've missed you, please, come in."

At a small, wobbly, wooden table Haku and Chihiro sat on wonky chairs. They grasped at china cups of jasmine tea that Zaniba had prepared for them in a fuss. "It's so lovely to see you two together again," she cooed, dusting around the table with a pink feather duster. "And it's so sweet of you to come and visit your old granny!"

"Thank you," Chihiro smiled. It had been so many years since she had seen Zaniba, and it hadn't dawned on her until this moment, just how much she'd missed her. "I'm so happy to see you again, granny." The elderly woman lowered herself into a wooden rocking chair and pulled out a long pipe from the pocket of her dress. She grabbed a match from her side and sparked it. "No!" Chihiro cried, immediately clapping her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry but could you... could you please not smoke around me!" Zaniba eyed Haku, who gave her a slight nod.

"I'm very sorry, dear," she sighed, putting out the match.

"I'm sure you've sensed it by now Zaniba," Haku said, his tone low and serious, "you know we're not just here for a casual visit." The grey haired woman scratched her head.

"What do you mean, sense it?... Sense what?"

"I mean... you ..." Haku let his sentence trail off, and both Chihiro and Zaniba shot him a worried glance.

"Well, spit it out boy," Zaniba glared at him, furrowing her wrinkled brow.

"I thought that you would have been able to sense it, surely..." he reached his hand out and touched Chihiro's arm, in turn she jumped slightly.

"Sense it? Are you trying to be mysterious Haku?"

"No, I... I thought that you would have definitely sensed it as soon as you touched her..." Haku sat frozen, his face painted in confusion. Zaniba rolled her eyes and looked over to Chihiro.

"Please dear, tell me what he's talking about."

Chihiro gasped, her hair standing up on end. "Well you see, granny..." she began, desperately digging for the confidence to tell her. "I'm ... I have.."

"She has a child inside her," Haku interrupted Chihiro to save her the anxiety. Zaniba seemed to freeze for a second. Her expression was motionless, her body was completely still. The only sound that could be heard was the whistling of the wind against the wooden walls. It was eerie. Suddenly, without warning, a piercing scream broke the silence like a swinging hammer.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Zaniba's hair flew upwards as she launched herself out of her chair and towards Haku. He yelped as the woman's eyes burned just inches from his own. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?" she yelled, "A SWEET, INNOCENT GIRL LIKE HER, AND YOU... YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER!?"

"No, no!" Chihiro pushed the older woman backwards and stood between her and Haku. "I promise you it wasn't like that! What happened that night, well... it was my idea!" Zaniba seemed to calm a little, her fists unclenched. "I love Haku, and he loves me, ok?" Zaniba drifted backwards into her seat, still staring Haku down with unforgiving eyes.

"It's true," Haku admitted, "we love each other. We're starting a family together, and nothing can change that now." The old woman looked from Chihiro to Haku suspiciously, narrowing her bulbous eyes.

"Well, I must say that I had expected better from the two of you," she huffed, "I had expected that you would have waited until Chihiro was older to act out such behaviours!" She tucked the stray strands of hair behind her ears. "But if you're both happy and willing, then I suppose that i'm happy for you." The couple sighed in relief. "And you, Haku!" she extended a wrinkled finger toward him, "Of course I couldn't sense the child, what you're sensing is the connection between yourself and him!" She tutted at Haku, "Of course, I can sense him now though, now that you've told me, i've been able to narrow in on the energy."

"Him?" Chihiro asked,

"Yes, him." Zaniba smiled, "the child you carry inside of you identifies with a lot of masculine energy, so we should call it 'him' for now." Chihiro nodded in agreement.

"Granny," she began "what we really needed to ask you about, is my... situation. You see, whilst i'm pregnant I can't travel back to the human world."

"Oh..." Zaniba's face became etched with sadness, "Haku hasn't told you..."

"I don't have anything to tell," he hung his head in shame. "I don't know anything about this situation. I don't know how to bring Chihiro's parents here, and I don't know how to send her back, or contact them either." The old woman opened her mouth as if to speak, but slowly closed it again, standing up to pace around the room. The lovers looked at each other with curiosity.

"I just..." she began, "Well I just don't know exactly how to tell you." By now, both Haku and Chihiro had become worried, the young woman could feel her heartbeat increasing, her palms becoming warm and moist. "Oh, you two..." Zaniba looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Please..." Chihiro begged, "the stress i'm feeling can't be good for the baby!" Zaniba snapped herself out of her rut, and came to kneel down before Chihiro so they were face to face. She looked deeply into the soft, brown eyes and told her:

"It's going to be hard to hear, but... you can no longer come and go from the spirit world as you wish."

"I know tha..." Zaniba interrupted Chihiro with verbal force.

"No dear, I mean even after the baby is born. You must pick one or the other, forever."

"WHAT!?" the two lovers yelled in unison, jumping up from their seats.

"Now calm down you two, let me explain." Zaniba spoke as Haku and Chihiro bit their lips. "The reason that you've been able to come into the spirit world so easily, Chihiro. It's that the child that you and Haku carry must have been destined to be the next river spirit. You were destined to be his mother. Now that has been fulfilled, after his birth you can't return to and from the spirit and human world any more." Tears began to well in all of their eyes as she spoke. "Destiny and love are powerful things, and you can't simply wish for them to change. You do however, always have a choice."

"A.. a choice!?" Chihiro sobbed.

"What choice!?" Haku mirrored her panicked tone.

"Your child is destined to be the river spirit, to dwell within the Kohaku river until the next nanase haruka arrives. However, if you leave this world Chihiro, you can take your son, and the two of you can have a normal, human life together."

"But if I go back then..."

"She'll never be able to come back to the spirit world again!?"

"I'm afraid that's right," Zaniba sighed, "It's a choice that only the two of you can make, but it's either one or the other, after this birth you will not be brought here again Chihiro. If you choose not to let your son become the next river spirit, then another will one day, far in the future, take his place. However it will not be a child of yours."

"What!?" Chihiro cried.

"Oh dear, let me make you some more tea," Zaniba was beginning to become way too flustered, "I can explain more if you'd like..."

The two lovers were almost silent on the ride back home, trying to take in the information that they'd been told. When they landed back in the meadow with long grass, Chihiro slumped to the floor. Haku, in humanoid form, held her in his arms. "Its going to be ok," he told her, "I promise you." Chihiro let herself sob quietly into his chest, grasping at the fabrics of his clothing.

"I'm not going to leave you," she let the tears trickle from her eyes like heavy raindrops on a slanted window. "I can't possibly do that, and take your son from you, never!"

"Chihiro," Haku took her round face in his hands and stroked her cheeks gently. "I won't stop you, maybe it's better for the both of you..."  
"What!?" Chihiro pushed Haku away, a horrified expression on her face. "You mean, you don't want us to stay with you!?"

"No! It's not that at all," Haku shrieked, "It's just that... just.."

"Just what!?"

"I know what it's like to be a river spirit!" he told her forcefully, grasping her tiny, soft hand in his desperate grip. "It's lonely, Chihiro, it's a long life, full of responsibilities. I love you! I only want what's best for you and the child, I want you to be happy and fulfilled and i'm afraid that I can't do that for you!"

"Don't be so... so stupid!" Chihiro scolded him. "There's nothing in this world," she took his hand with both of hers, "that could ever make me, as happy as you." Haku frowned and looked away.

"How could you know that, you're so young, you have a family and a life and I only have this river right here. I'm not worthy of you."

"I don't care," Chihiro took Haku into her arms. She pressed a gentle kiss onto his cheek, and his face flushed red. "I love you, I love you and we're going to make this work ok?" Haku let out a stifled sob. "I don't know how yet, but we're going to make this all work, I know there will be a way." Haku leaned in and kissed Chihiro deeply. The two let their arms snake around each other's bodies passionately. "I will never leave you," she whispered into his ear fiercely. The young woman pushed her lover down into the ground with her loving kiss. With her legs at either side of him, she tangled her fingers in his soft, black hair. "I am yours," she breathed between their kisses, "and you are mine." Haku dug his fingernails into her back gently as he held her as tightly as his body would allow him. "I won't accept what Zaniba said, we'll find a way around this together, and we'll find a way to bring my parents here, or to bring you back with me."

"Ch...chihiro," Haku blushed as the girl pressed herself against him. She let her long, brunette locks fall at either side of his face, and her body moved against his rhythmically.

"I love you, figure this out."

"I love you too." Haku's breathing began to deepen as the woman's small frame rubbed against his own. She rocked her hips back and forth against him. "Chihiro, if you keep doing this... i'll feel all... y'know..." She smirked and looked into his eyes longingly.

"I know."


End file.
